Food Pantry Finds

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Right now it can be hard to get all the items on your shopping list. Visit your home pantry to find creative ways to use what you already have!

Here are 7 tips on how to fully take advantage of your food pantry finds.

1. Substitute ingredients:  You can swap ingredients in your favorite recipes with  ingredients from your food pantry. For example,
• Use  applesauce in baked dishes  in place  of oil or butter. 
• Swap canned or frozen vegetables in place of fresh, or try a different veggie. 
• Try dried herbs in cooking instead of fresh herbs. 
• Use yogurt instead of sour cream and mayonnaise. Yogurt is a healthier alternative to sour cream or mayonnaise. 
• Use beans in cooking instead of meat.
2. Get creative with beans: Beans are a great source of protein and are commonly found in our home pantry.
• You can use beans  in chilies,  taco fillings, salads and with rice.
• Learn how to cook dried beans.
• Try out this easy red beans and rice recipe.
3. Don’t forget peanut butter: Peanut butter is a great source of protein and easy to store in your pantry.
• Use peanut butter as a sauce for dipping or in a stir-fry.
• Try it instead of oil in your pancake batter.
• Give your smoothies an extra boost of protein. Try this peanut butter energy smoothie recipe. 
4. Stock up on canned tomatoes: You may have several different types of canned tomatoes at home.
• Use tomato paste and diced tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.
• Make your own pasta sauce by adding canned tomatoes to garlic and onions and simmering with herbs. 
• Add to stews and soups. Try this vegetable lentil soup.
5. Grab some rice: Brown rice is filling, works great in many dishes.
• Add rice to casseroles, salads and stir-fry. 
• Try this stuffed peppers recipe. You can also stuff other vegetables, such as tomatoes or winter squash.
• Watch this video to show you how to cook brown rice.
6. Befriend your freezer: Stock your freezer when you find sales at the grocery store.
• Divide the extra food  into portions and freeze it.
• Dried  beans can be frozen after cooking them.
• Don’t forget to label and date your frozen foods. 
• If you want to learn more about how to freeze a specific food,  visit: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze.html
7. Plan your grocery shopping: Check your pantry before going grocery shopping. Once you have these groceries, you can plan your meals around what you have on hand.